Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of growing water reed for the purposes of thatching materials within the Great Fen project.

Defra, Natural England, and Environment Agency are working closely with our Great Fen partners to look at the benefits of paludiculture (wetter farming) and trialling a range of diversification options. This is vital to enable thriving and sustainable rural businesses, protection of our precious lowland peat resources, and enhance biodiversity. The Great Fen provides opportunity to act to test these principles, and will be looking at the benefits of growing reed and a host of other crop types for food and fibre.